Ahhh...

As I mentioned, we had big plans for this weekend. My friend, G, was having a monumental birthday, and her hubby wanted to send her on a girl's shopping getaway. My friend, L, and I were more than willing to oblige. :) As we talked, the weekend just got better and better. L decided she and her hub, S, wanted to take us all to a nice restaurant 3 hours away. So the plan was for the six of us to get away for a nice dinner and then the men would drive home while the girls spent a night in a hotel. It all went as planned, but I went solo. I just knew Brandon wasn't up for it, and I didn't want him getting any worse. So it was me and the other two couples.

We left town about 4:15 and got to the most amazing restaurant around 7:15. We ate and enjoyed the night until 9:45 when we parted ways. The ladies and I crashed at the hotel...we stayed up pretty late just talking and then crashed for the night. The next morning we were up and at 'em pretty early not wanting to waste a minute of our day. We went to mall 1 where we ate breakfast at Paradise Cafe. Mmm...we walked the mall until our pedicures at 9:30. Ahh...bliss! We enjoyed the pampering and cute toes when all was over. We got our rings cleaned at the best jewelry spot around. My diamond looks brand new! After that mall, we went to Eddie Bauer at a little strip mall. Lunch was at a local cafe, and it hit the spot. We drove to mall 2 but didn't spent any time there when we realized the stores we wanted to hit weren't there. Mall 3 brought us better luck. We hit another store on the way to mall 4. The last mall is an outdoor mall, and the weather was great for walking around. We shopped some more, left with more bags, and just enjoyed the time not worrying about little ones.
We stopped at Chipolte on the way out of town and got home around 9:15.
I am so thankful God blessed me with these friends. They are some of the most selfless and giving people I know. They think of you before they think of themselves. The time shopping went to smooth; we knew what stores we wanted to hit, we tried on clothes and got honest opinion, and we were able to share the joys and struggles of life with each other. I think this needs to become an annual trip! :)
After I got home, Brandon mentioned the girls would love to see me. He was right. Maisie just couldn't stop hugging me! Analise was excited, too, but she didn't cling to me like Maisie did. Since then, Maisie always wants me to put her town for naps and bedtime and still hugs me like crazy. I told Brandon I should either get away more often or never leave again because Maisie is still adjusting. :)
While I was gone, Brandon was quite the man/dad at home. He and the girls hit their fave donut spot for breakfast. He took the younger ones to the Children's Museum, they all went to a home improvement store to buy me flowers. They had a movie night...the girls had a blast. Not once did I worry about my girlies while I was gone because I knew they were in good, loving hands. Makes the going away even better. Ahh...